US bringing NBA players to camp before next qualifying games
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The U.S. is upgrading its roster slightly to start the second round of qualifying for the Basketball World Cup, bringing 10 players who were on NBA rosters last season to training camp.
The first two games of the second round are later this month. The first two windows were in November and February, when NBA players were prevented from playing, and the June-July window conflicted with free agency and summer league. The Americans used mostly G League players under coach Jeff Van Gundy for those games.
But the group headed to camp in Las Vegas beginning Thursday includes players such as Frank Mason III of the Sacramento Kings, the 2017 NCAA player of the year, Dwayne Bacon, who played 53 games with Charlotte last season, and former lottery pick Henry Ellenson of the Detroit Pistons.
Reggie Hearn and center Jameel Warney, who helped the Americans go 5-1 in the first round, will also be in camp. The rest of the roster: Jordan Crawford, Isaiah Hicks, Derrick White, Dakari Johnson, Bryce Alford, V.J. Beachem, Ben Moore, Chasson Randle and Travis Trice.
The Americans play Uruguay on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas and visit Panama on Sept. 17.
